Pakistani presenter Zainab Abbas leaves India amid social media backlash

Hyderabad: Zainab Abbas, a Pakistani presenter who was part of the ICC digital team covering the ODI Cricket World Cup in India, has left the country amid a social media backlash related to her alleged anti-India posts in the past.

Zainab departed from Hyderabad, where she was assigned to cover Pakistan's three World Cup matches. She was present at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad during Pakistan's World Cup opener against the Netherlands on October 6. Speculation on social media grew as news of her departure from India during the tournament circulated.

Posts from Zainab's unverified X account, formerly Twitter, had gone viral after she announced her coverage of the ICC mega event in India. However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) clarified that Zainab was not deported from India and that she left for personal reasons.

An ICC spokesperson stated, "Zainab has not been deported, she has left for personal reasons." Zainab had arrived in Hyderabad the previous week and was scheduled to travel to other cities where Pakistan was set to play, including Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad.

Former Pakistani cricketers Rameez Raja and Waqar Younis are in India as part of the commentary panel for the ODI Cricket World Cup, which began on October 5 and will conclude on November 19. The Pakistan cricket team received a warm welcome at the Hyderabad airport on September 27, marking their first visit to India in seven years. The team, including captain Babar Azam, has acknowledged the overwhelming support they have received in India since their arrival.